In an increasingly complex, computerized, and interconnected world, users require access to an increasingly diverse number and type of resources, both software and hardware alike. The advancing sophistication of users, their respective work product, and their varied tools require, in turn, sophisticated systems in order to support interoperability and the associated productivity increases expected of such sophisticated systems.
In fact, the number, types, and models of hardware devices have proliferated in the present consumer-demand oriented economy. Similarly, diverse operating systems, user interfaces, communication and network transfer protocols, file formats, low and high level system and user software resources, and the like, are now widely in use. Further compounding the complexity and expense of interoperable computer systems are broadly varying, constantly changing, scalable, and unpredictable network topographies.
Adding complexity and significant expense to this technological backdrop, network administrators must be increasingly cautious and concerned regarding the scope and context of user access to software and hardware resources. They must remain vigilant regarding user security, and the security of stored and transmitted information, their network, and its associated infrastructure and resources. Accountability and traceability concerns are never ending. User and network support, administrative demands, and information technology costs are steadily and unendingly increasing.
Notwithstanding the sophisticated and demanding user environment, coordinating, configuring, securing, and interconnecting network resources, and providing efficient and reliable user access thereto, has continued to be both expensive and elusive.
For example, in some environments, protocols such as RDP are used to interconnect one or more personal or client computing devices to, most often, a network server. Such systems have inherent limitations. The computing devices must all be Windows® and terminal services protocol capable. There must be an established network or gateway server. All client computing devices must have an RDC client installed thereon. All data and information must be directed through the same RDP protocol. All computing devices must be administered with Windows® tools and licensing. Generally speaking, such a configuration is not considered ideal for purposes of client computing device sharing, support, or security.
Alternatively, in some environments, software tools such as LogMeIn®, GoToMyPC®, or the like, are used to interconnect a single personal or client computing device to another single computing device or network server. As above, such systems suffer with inherent limitations. Point-to-point protocols are used to share a single desktop. Accordingly, there is no multi-tenant (multi-user) capability. Such systems are designed, for the most part, as a support and collaboration tool, such as sharing a desktop via the Internet, and not as an application or service delivery system. As above, all data and information travel through the same protocol. Sharing of control and resources to another user and/or computing device ties up or limits the host computing device. In essence, such systems might be thought of as a software replacement for device-to-device virtual private networking (“VPN”).
There are systems which provide virtual infrastructure management, such as Citrix® and VMWare®. Such systems provide users with access to a virtualized computing environment, wherein the operating system, with associated applications and devices, is pre-configured to provide a user experience matching that of a local desktop computing session. Disadvantageously, in such environments, the user cannot reach beyond his or her defined computing configuration to access other applications, devices, and the like, which may exist within the organization's infrastructure, but to which no pathway for access has been established.
Further, there are systems which operate in a SaaS model. Such systems enable applications to be published from a cloud-based platform to an array of users. Again, disadvantageously, such systems merely supplement a user's local desktop computing session, providing access to additional or other software applications than a user might be able to access locally. Still, however, the user cannot reach beyond his or her defined computing configuration to access other applications, devices, and the like, which may exist within the organizational or cloud infrastructure, but to which no pathway for access has been established.
To date, there is no known system or technology available that allows cross-connection and/or interconnection of diverse personal computing devices, network servers, data, applications, services, and/or the like. Such a system would be desirable in order to provide users with convenient, secure, and defined levels of access to any available hardware computing device, such as, by way of non-limiting example, personal computing devices running any of a variety of operating systems, peripheral and other hardware devices, and to services, applications, data, and the like, without limitation. Such a system should provide for multi-tenant capabilities wherein multiple users, devices, software, services, and the like, may be interlinked, but would not interfere with each other. Such a system should make use of the best and most appropriate protocol(s) for the required task, and should have the ability to make use of diverse, yet appropriate, protocols for different required services. For example, such a system might make use of WebDAV or FTP protocols for file transfer, HTTP(S) for Internet traffic, RDP, VNC, VRDP, or TCP for application access, and the like. Such a system should be access and support friendly, should be appropriate for single or multi-user desktop sharing, and should support application publishing and data transfer. Users should be able to securely access available resources without taking over control of the host computing device and/or host environment.
Accordingly, it is to the provision of such a desirable system and technology that the present inventive subject matter is directed.